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hack and slash

Mini Review: Within The Blade on XBox Series X/S

July 15, 2021 By ausretrogamer

We knew there was a good reason for buying the Xbox Series S console! With games like Within The Blade (WTB) by Ratalaika Games – a feast of ninja action with a retro flair, it hits the sweet nostalgic spot for us.

Within The Blade’s aesthetic is inspired by those sprites and pixels from the 8-bit day of ole, but with a polish for contemporary gaming systems. The retro style presentation of WTB and the easy to pick up and play are the strong suits for this game.

Within The Blade

WTB is a platforming hack’n slash, but the devil is in its details as your ninja encounters new and unique enemies which forces him to learn new battle tactics, improve the quality of weapons and learn new skills. Oh yeah, the blood and gore as your ninja hacks through each enemy is so visceral, so if you are squimish of the site of virtual blood and that squirting sound, then you may need a sick bag while playing WTB.

Game Features:

  • Over 100 types of weapons that players can find or craft
  • Branching skills to level up and master
  • Secrets to unlock, with epic items to find
  • Randomly generated levels
  • 5 unique acts with 5 levels
  • Distinct visual style, with a distinct medieval feel

Featuring 25 levels and some unforgettable boss encounters, players can also complete additional tasks to gain more experience and money to help level up their ninja. WTB ticks all the boxes for us, so if you like retro-styled ninja hack’n slash platformer games with a twist of RPG elements, then you should seriously check it out!

Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Developer: Ametist Studio
Platforms: Xbox, PS4/PS5 and Switch
Release: July 16, 2021
Price: US$10.99/€10.99/£9.99




Disclaimer: Xbox Series S/X review code for Within The Blade was provided by PR Hound.

Filed Under: Modern Gaming, Reviews Tagged With: Ametist Studio, hack and slash, indie dev, IndieDev, Ninja, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Ratalaika Games, Retro, Retro Game, Retro style, Review, Within The Blade, Xbox, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, XSS, XSX

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